This page left blank intentionally Marine Seismic Survey in the Northeast Pacific Ocean Tracking No. OPR-2018-00008 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page 1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Background ...................................................................................................................... 2 1.2 Consultation History ........................................................................................................ 2 2 The Assessment Framework ................................................................................................ 4 3 Description of the Proposed Action ..................................................................................... 7 3.1 National Science Foundation’s and Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University’s Proposed Activities ............................................................................... 8 3.1.1 Seismic Survey Overview and Objectives ................................................................ 8 3.1.2 Source Vessel Specifications .................................................................................. 10 3.1.3 Airgun Array and Acoustic Receivers Description ................................................ 11 3.1.4 Multi-Beam Echosounder, Sub-Bottom Profiler, and Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler ..................................................................................................................... 14 3.1.5 Mitigation and Monitoring ...................................................................................... 15 3.2 National Marine Fisheries Service’s Proposed Activities .............................................. 28 3.2.1 National Marine Fisheries Service’s Proposed Incidental Harassment Authorization ........................................................................................................................ 29 3.2.2 National Marine Fisheries Service’s Revisions to Proposed Incidental Harassment Authorization .................................................................................................... 30 4 Action Area .......................................................................................................................... 30 5 Interrelated and Interdependent Actions ......................................................................... 32 6 Potential Stressors ............................................................................................................... 32 6.1 Pollution ......................................................................................................................... 32 6.2 Vessel Strikes ................................................................................................................. 33 6.3 Acoustic Noise, Vessel Noise, and Visual Disturbance ................................................. 35 6.4 Gear Entanglement ......................................................................................................... 38 7 Species and Critical Habitat Not Likely to be Adversely Affected ................................ 39 7.1 Endangered Species Act-Listed Cetaceans .................................................................... 43 7.1.1 Gray Whale – Western North Pacific Population ................................................... 43 7.1.2 Killer Whale – Southern Resident Distinct Population Segment ........................... 45 7.1.3 North Pacific Right Whale ...................................................................................... 45 7.2 Endangered Species Act-Listed Sea Turtles .................................................................. 46 7.3 Endangered Species Act-Listed Fish.............................................................................. 47 7.3.1 Criteria and Thresholds to Predict Impacts to Fishes ............................................. 47 7.3.2 Impulsive Sound Source Criteria (Airgun Arrays) for Fishes ................................ 48 7.3.3 Salmonids ................................................................................................................ 50 i Marine Seismic Survey in the Northeast Pacific Ocean Tracking No. OPR-2018-00008 7.3.4 Sturgeon .................................................................................................................. 52 7.3.5 Rockfish .................................................................................................................. 52 7.3.6 Eulachon ................................................................................................................. 53 7.4 Designated Critical Habitat ............................................................................................ 53 7.4.1 Leatherback Turtle Critical Habitat ........................................................................ 53 7.4.2 Green Sturgeon – Southern Distinct Population Segment Critical Habitat ............ 54 7.4.3 Effects to Designated Critical Habitat .................................................................... 55 8 Species Likely to be Adversely Affected ........................................................................... 56 9 Status of Species Likely to be Adversely Affected ........................................................... 57 9.1 Blue Whale ..................................................................................................................... 57 9.1.1 Life History ............................................................................................................. 58 9.1.2 Population Dynamics .............................................................................................. 58 9.1.3 Vocalization and Hearing ....................................................................................... 60 9.1.4 Status ....................................................................................................................... 62 9.1.5 Critical Habitat ........................................................................................................ 62 9.1.6 Recovery Goals ....................................................................................................... 62 9.2 Fin Whale ....................................................................................................................... 62 9.2.1 Life History ............................................................................................................. 63 9.2.2 Population Dynamics .............................................................................................. 63 9.2.3 Vocalization and Hearing ....................................................................................... 64 9.2.4 Status ....................................................................................................................... 66 9.2.5 Critical Habitat ........................................................................................................ 66 9.2.6 Recovery Goals ....................................................................................................... 66 9.3 Humpback Whale – Central America Distinct Population Segment ............................. 66 9.3.1 Life History ............................................................................................................. 67 9.3.2 Population Dynamics .............................................................................................. 67 9.3.3 Vocalization and Hearing ....................................................................................... 68 9.3.4 Status ....................................................................................................................... 70 9.3.5 Critical Habitat ........................................................................................................ 70 9.3.6 Recovery Goals ....................................................................................................... 70 9.4 Humpback Whale – Mexico Distinct Population Segment ............................................ 70 9.4.1 Life History ............................................................................................................. 71 9.4.2 Population Dynamics .............................................................................................. 71 9.4.3 Vocalization and Hearing ....................................................................................... 71 9.4.4 Status ....................................................................................................................... 73 9.4.5 Critical Habitat ........................................................................................................ 74 9.4.6 Recovery Goals ....................................................................................................... 74 9.5 Sei Whale ....................................................................................................................... 74 9.5.1 Life History ............................................................................................................. 75 9.5.2 Population Dynamics .............................................................................................. 75 ii Marine Seismic Survey in the Northeast Pacific Ocean Tracking No. OPR-2018-00008 9.5.3 Vocalization and Hearing ....................................................................................... 75 9.5.4 Status ......................................................................................................................